The action in the novel “Lusha” mainly takes place in the USSR and Great Britain. The events cover almost the entire twentieth century. Setting the composition on a harmonic series, “dislocated” time moves tensely. The leitmotif non-linearly, poignantly develops around six generations of the same family, whose restless lobes are skillfully implanted in the symphony of the century. The Russian language is enriched with magical ciphers from Turkic and Old Testament myths, the epic of the ancient world to a two-century old English children's song ”Twinkle, twinkle, little star“ and pioneer Soviet speeches.
Understanding the cultural background of the creator is helped by his biography. Karina Cochrell-Ferré was born in Voronezh and grew up in Batumi. She graduated with honors from the Voronezh Pedagogical Institute. Since 1991 she has been living in Great Britain. After postgraduate studies at the University of Greenwich, she taught language and information technology in colleges. She is engaged in translations, has written a collection of short stories, two books of historical novels. Her short story “I Saved Everyone Then” was awarded the Canadian Hemingway Prize. She lives in Letchuert Garden City near Cambridge. Since the first day of Russian aggression, she has stood in solidarity with Ukraine in her public activities and texts.
What Are the Objectives of the Award?
The primary goal of the Award is to support authors and promote Russian-language literature worldwide. We welcome all who write and read in Russian, regardless of citizenship or place of residence. We aim to foster a Russian-language culture free from political and imperial influences.
How Is the Award Process Conducted?
The Award is given annually. The jury votes, with each member selecting between one and three works. The winner is the author whose work receives the most votes. Additionally, a reader’s vote (Crowdfunding) is conducted on the Award’s website, where readers can vote for authors and support them financially.
What Awards Are Provided?
The winner of the Award receives a grant to translate the work into English, French and German. Also, as part of the reader's vote, all collected funds are transferred to the authors for whom the readers voted.
When Does the Submission Period for the Competition Start and End?
Прием заявок на конкурс второго сезона премии начнется 1 сентября 2025-го и закончится 15-го октября 2025 года.
When will the list of finalists and winners be announced?
В январе 2026 года Совет Экспертов объявит список финалистов. Читательское голосование начинается в тот же месяц. В феврале-апреле члены жюри читают книги-финалисты, а победителей Премии и читательского голосования объявят в мае 2026 года.
What are the conditions for the nomination of a book for the award
В конкурсе второго сезона могут принимать участия произведения, изданные в 2024-м году. Произведения (роман, повесть, сборники рассказов и эссе, документальная проза), вышедшие отдельными изданиями или опубликованные в журналах. Номинировать на премию имеют право как издательства и редакции журналов, так и сами писатели или третьи лица (с согласия и письменного подтверждения автора). Тексты подаются к рассмотрению в электронном виде. Премия «Дар» открыта для всех авторов. Учитывая главные цели премии: продвижение современной русскоязычной литературы за пределами РФ и характер самого вознаграждение (грант на перевод) - приоритет будет отдаваться авторам, чьи произведения ранее не переводились на английский, французский и немецкий языки.
